Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was finally able to celebrate his 2016 MotoGP™ World Champion title win in front of his home fans at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valencia, after the Spaniard secured the crown during the triple-header flyaway stint at the Twin Ring Motegi. With great rival Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) on pole and getting a perfect start, Marquez was the man to suffer off the line as he shuffled back a number of positions from his P2 starting slot. Fighting his way back past Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team), Marquez then pushed and went for broke – cutting more than three seconds off Lorenzo’s lead before finally being forced to settle for second as the flag waved on the final race of the season.
Marc Marquez (P2): “Today was the worst start of the year! There was a mistake or problem with the clutch, a big wheelie and I lost a lot of time. And I lost time overtaking Rossi and Iannone – here it’s difficult to overtake. Then when I tried, the Ducati just passed me on the straight. When I opened a small gap I pushed like I had nothing to lose, and I was catching Jorge…it was difficult but I tried, and I ran out of laps. But no excuses – the race is 30 laps and Jorge won. It was really nice to celebrate the title here with family and friends.”